Thursday, June 15, 2017

Germany May 2017

Running for #1

Two horse race (With a third one approaching) in a boiling marketOver 3.700 plug-in passenger cars were registered last month in Germany, shooting 185% YoY, with YTD sales now growing 102%, the German market is now one of the hottest markets for PEVs, with the PEV share now at a record 1.2%.

Looking at May Best Selling models, the Audi A3 e-Tron was once again the leader, registering a record 516 units (Is Audi finally wanting to sell their plug-ins?), followed by two BMW's, the 225xe Active Tourer (298 deliveries, new record), and the i3 hot hatch (297).

Below these three, we find the Renault Zoe, still struggling with delivery issues, with the Tesla Model S closing the Top 5 with 206 deliveries, its best performance ever in an off-peak month.

Could this prelude a record month for the American Sports Sedan in June?

Pl

Model

Sales

1

Audi A3 e-Tron

516

2

BMW 225xe A. Tourer

298

3

BMW i3 *

297

3

Renault Zoe

271

5

Tesla Model S

206

Looking at the YTD ranking, the Top Two BMW i3 and Renault Zoe continue their two horse race at the top, but the Audi A3 e-Tron is closing in, so it won't be long to see another Best Seller candidate, with the Top 3 models separated by less than 100 units, this market confirms itself as one of the most entertaining in the plug-in world.

Below the podium, things aren't less interessing, with several changes across the ranking:

- The Mercedes GLC350e (165 units in May, new record) jumped four positions to #9, surpassing its C350e relative and becoming the best selling Mercedes, thus confirming its hot seller status;- The Tesla Model X climbed one position to #11, thanks to 116 deliveries its best result in off-peak months, which could mean a Top 10 position in June for Tesla's SUV;- Four positions jump for the Hyundai Ioniq Electric, now at #20, thanks to a record 130 registrations in May, its best performance ever, which could mean that the Korean automaker is increasing the deliveries pace;- Good performances across the Volkswagen line-up, with two models hitting year best numbers (e-Golf - 132 units; Passat GTE - 177) and two climbs, one for the Golf GTE, up one position to #14, and the other for the e-Golf, now #16. In the manufacturers ranking, BMW (23%, down 1%) is on the lead, followed by Mercedes Audi and Volkswagen, all with 12% share.

Pl

Germany

May

YTD

%

'16 Pl

1
2

Renault ZoeBMW i3 *

271
297

1.749
1.745

10
10

2
1

3
4

Audi A3 e-TronMitsu. Outlander PHEV

516
201

1.670
1.299

10
7

4
6

56

BMW 225xe Active Tour.Tesla Model S

298
206

1.288
1.046

7
6

10

5

7

Kia Soul EV

108

887

5

7

8

Volkswagen Passat GTE

177

685

4

9

910
11

Mercedes GLC350eMercedes C350e e)Tesla Model X

165
83
116

516
510
496

3
3
3

23
15
19

12
13

Volkswagen e-Up!Nissan Leaf

96
68

487
480

3
3

17
11

141516
17

Volkswagen Golf GTEMercedes B250e

Volkswagen e-Golf
Mercedes E350e

186
46
132
94

465
383
355
316

3
2
2
2

8
18
12
32

18

Audi Q7 e-Tron

62

288

2

13

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30
31
32
33
34
35

BMW 330e

Hyundai Ioniq Electric

BMW 530e

Volvo XC90 T8

Mercedes GLE500eVolvo V60 Plug-In

Peugeot iOnPorsche Cayenne PHEV

BMW i8

BMW 740e
Mercedes S500e e)

BMW X5 40e

Citroen C-Zero

Mini Countryman PHEV

Nissan e-NV200/EvaliaOpel Ampera-e

Por. Panamera PHEV

Others

54
130
88
18
26
40
20
35
25
17
20
32
25
4
14
2
7
75

280
271
225
222
191
185
162
151
129
122
119
111
101
92
80
73
68
110

2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
1

20
36
N/A
13
24
25
20
21
27
28
26
22
34
N/A
29
N/A

30

TOTAL

3.788

17.401

100

* - 201 Bev + 96 Rex

Source: kba.de

Tesla Model S & Others

Pl

Model

Feb. Sales

1

Mercedes S-Class

670

2

BMW 7-Series

408

3

Porsche Panamera

370

4

Audi A8

242

5

Tesla Model S

206

As the Tesla Sports Sedan reaches historical high levels, the usual direct competitors are starting to be left behind, so it's time to look upwards and see who's next on the list of the Model SICE-killing.

Time to focus then on the BMW and Mercedes flagship vessels, the Mercedes S-Class registered 670 units last month, while the BMW 7-Series registered 408 units, staying comfortably ahead of the Californian, but if we compare it directly with the Sports Sedan crowd, only the Porsche Panamera outruns Tesla, with the Mercedes (CLS - 190 units) and Audi (A7 - 137 units) being left behind.

And this happens on an off-peak month, will be interesting to look at the next month results...

Tesla Model X & Others

Pl

Model

March Sales

1

Range Rover Sport

589

2

Jaguar F-Pace

392

3

Porsche Cayenne

466

4

BMW X6

173

5

Tesla Model X

116

The Tesla Sports SUV is starting to tickle its most direct competitors, even if numbers are far behind the ones of the Cayenne and F-Pace, it is enough to reach the tail of the BMW X6, one of the pioneers of the whole Sports SUV oxymoron.

Very interesting and entertaining read, providing useful insights about the German registrations market. Still the analysis concerning the Tesla offerings are a bit misleading: The Model S is competing with main direct rivals that are on a long product cycle, with both the MB CLS, Audi A7 and BMW 6 Gran Coupé due to a switch for new versions soon. It is of note to verify that the upper Audi A8, to be changed to a new version in July 2017, still outsells the Model S in May.

I disagree with the comment that the BMW X6 introduced the concept of Sport Utility Vehicle, it might be the case for the first version of the X5 but taking in mind that in the past, vehicles like the MB G model had V8 and AMG versions, that might not be the truth at all. By any metrics, the Tesla Model X sells at very low levels, not only in Germany, in the US, with all that truck and SUV craze, the comparative performance is same. I think Elon Musk himself already spoke that the Model X symbolizes what Tesla must refrain a bit from doing in the future.

Regarding the German EV-market, I would like to point Your attention at a kind of funny development. Question: Which was the fourth biggest manufacturer of EVs in Germany in 2016 (1669 units)? Anwer: Deutsche Post Streetscooter. The product is a van that is build by(!) the German Federal Post, which is working for an eco-friendly profile. The van was supposed to be used by the post only. They took over in 2014 a start-up which had designed the Streetscooter. The van has been a success and they open now for selling it to outsiders. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/StreetScooterhttp://t3n.de/news/streetscooter-deutsche-post-814375/ (german article)